Sur la route de Chimay

We're back from our trip to Chimay, which took us through the rolling hills of southern Belgium. It is a small town near the Abbey of Scourmont, where Belgium's most famous beer is brewed by Trappist monks.
On our way there, we drove through a corner of the Ardennes department of France.


The Ardennes region of hills and forests is located primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretches into the Champagne-Ardenne region of France. The word comes from the Celtic "Ar denn," meaning "the forest."


The ruins of the Fort de Charlemont from the sixteenth century in the French town of Givet. The town is about 150 km southwest of Maastricht on the Maas (or Meuse, in French) river, but it took two hours to drive there.


A very late (3:00 pm) lunch in Chimay. On the left is carbonnades (beef stew) made with Chimay Blue. We also had fondue, salad, and frites. We are all drinking Chimay Blue (except for Josie, who was drinking her requisite fruit juice).

The roundabout at the entrance to town features a copper kettle used in brewing.

The market cross and city hall on the main square, in front of our restaurant. As you will see from more pictures I post tomorrow (including those from the abbey where the beer is brewed), Chimay is a very small and remote town that is 50 km from any city (Charleroi, not exactly a recognizable metropolis, being the closest).

Interestingly enough, a film by the French directory Dany Boon was being filmed in the town square while we were there. Our waiter was quite excited about this; I obviously could not recognize Boon in the crowd outside, since everyone in the film production, cast and crew, were in their 30s and dressed in a very similar fashion.